Little Known Black History Fact: Eddie C. Brown

Eddie C. Brown is one of the top African-American financial minds in America today, and his rags-to-riches story is nothing short of inspiring. With his Baltimore-based Brown Capital Management firm amassing over $8 billion over the past three decades, Brown has used his massive wealth to give back to inner-city youth via a variety of programs.

Brown was born in 1940 and raised in the rural town of Apopka, Florida by a 13-year-old mother. Poverty and Jim Crow laws were the hallmarks of Brown’s early life and at the age of 11, he became a moonshine runner for an uncle. Brown eventually moved to Allentown, Pennsylvania and had no designs to attend college. However, an unknown benefactor aided Brown and he attended Howard University, graduating in 1961.

After earning an electrical engineering degree from New York University and working for IBM, Brown earned his MBA from Indiana University in 1970. He worked for some of Wall Street’s top firms, becoming an especially savvy investment management expert. In 1983, he opened his current firm which now employs dozens and is nestled in the growing Downtown Baltimore section.

Brown married his high school sweetheart, Sylvia, in 1962. They have two daughters and three grandsons. Together, the Browns run a charitable foundation that provides financial support to Baltimore city youth in the areas of the arts, health, and education. Brown has been recognized by the city and nationally for his philanthropic efforts.